HOW TO CONDUCT CROSS-CULTURAL RESEARCH
Learning Objectives
1. Analyze why we should conduct cross- cultural research?
2. Learn the components of research.
3. Discover the Biblical basis of research.
4. Describe some of the errors to avoid in research.
5. Understand how to overcome some of the hindrances to research.
6. Know how to use your research data in church planting and cross-cultural evangelism.
I. Why Conduct Cross-Cultural Research
``The decisions we make are only as good as the information we based them on,’’ said a famous man. If we are trying to catch fish it makes sense that we will want to know something about the animal. What type of fish are we looking for? What are his feeding characteristics? Will the fish be attracted by certain types of bait or lures? Is it better to use nets? Will the fish be found in a lake, river, or stream? What seasons are best for catching this particular kind of fish? How far will we have to go to locate his breeding grounds? When is the best time to fish for this particular fish? What obstacles will we face in finding the fish? What rewards are offered fish? What happens if we failed to catch the fish on our first attempts? Are there others who have tried to catch fish here before? What lessons can we learner from other fishermen? Is there any indigent who can help us understand the best ways to catch fish in his area? Are there any special things we need to know before we go looking for the fish? What kinds of instruments are most effective with this particular fish? These are questions that are essential to find answers for before we go fishing? Conducting cross-cultural research requires a parallel approach. In like fashion we are seeking to understand how the message will effectively move through the sender’s perspectives, the filters in the people, the context, the culture, the language, and be understood by the receiver.
In similar ways we need to understand something about how to collect information about the people, their culture, their history, their needs, their religious orientations, their social structures, their geography, their demography, their economical systems, their family life, their context, their world views, their former encounters with Christianity, their urban life, their village life, their marriages, their children, their educational systems, their goals, their problems, their political systems, and even their views towards African Traditional Religions, Secret Societies, Islam, or African Independent Churches. All of these bits of information will help us gain a window into the best ways to communicate the gospel in contextual, relevant, & appropriate ways!
II. What is Research?
A. Research is the gathering of information for use in decision making (Engel, 1977, p. 13)
B. Applied research is thinking about the applications of the acquired information. When conducted wisely, research can be one of the most powerful tools used by the Holy Spirit to bring about change. When the realities of the unreached are made available, people are burdened to pray, to give, to send missionaries, and to engage in projects to train workers for the harvest fields.
C. Currently, the Searchlight Survey team is conducting cross-cultural research into every local government of Nigeria identifying the nature of the unreached fields. Patience Ahmed, of Calvary Ministries indicates that after a survey she discovered very few churches in and around Asa Local Government of Kwara State, 20 kilometers from Ilorin where there are over 100 churches. Since Christians in Ilorin saw so many churches around them many assumed that nearby Asa had also been reached. As a result of the survey some of the churches have sent church planters to Asa area. This is an example of some of the benefits of applied research.
III. Biblical Basis For Research
Bavinck shows us that the gospel approach is structured around five main factors:
1). To whom am I bringing the gospel? In Acts Paul spoke differently to Festus, King Agrippa, and to the men on Mars hill because of their unique needs, personalities, positions, dispositions, and backgrounds. God is concerned about adjusting our message to whom we are speaking. This is inherent in the nature of Biblical theology as the history of special revelation progressively given.
2). Who is preaching? God spoke uniquely through many men and women in the scriptures working through their perspectives. Matthew presents Christ as a King. Luke presents Christ as the Son of Man with a universal appeal to the Gentiles. Mark presents Christ as a servant emphasizing more of what he did than what he said. John, however, emphasizes the deity of Christ. Each author has presented Christ from their unique perspective.
3). The timing of presenting the message effects its effectiveness. A number of times Jesus told people that His time had not yet come. References to the fullness of time are found throughout the scriptures. Clues for right timing in evangelism can be seen in the way that Christ timed his statements with Nicodemus, the woman at the well, and the rich young ruler.
4). The place affects the acceptance of the message. Jesus was not welcomed in his home area. He said, ``A prophet is not without honor except in his home town.’’ Jesus brought salvation to Zacchaeus when he visited him in his house. Openness to the gospel is effected greatly by where it is presented.
5). The manner in which the message is presented. I Pet 1:15 says, ``Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.’’ It is not always what we say, but how we say it that makes the difference. (Bavinck 1960, p.82-86)
IV. Hindrances to Research
1). Traditions - Some people hold their traditions sacredly. They believe that traditions are not to be changed. For this reason many people are suspicious of research because it may challenge their customs and traditions. However, Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for this practice when He said, ``You are those who prefer the traditions of men over the truths of God.’’ We must learn to test all of our traditions on Biblical, relevant, appropriate, contextual, and effective criteria.
2). Misperception about research. Perhaps the people you are researching have suspicions, doubts, or negative experiences with research. They may need special assurances that you are not out to judge, criticize, or take something away from them like their culture in order to gain their cooperation.
3). Prejudice in research. Certain researchers, participants, or respondents may have bias that skews the results. Objective research provides randomness throughout so that there is little chance of partiality affecting the collection, interpretation, or conclusion of the data.
4). Sloppy, incomplete, or poorly constructed research. When research questionnaires, designs, interviews, or studies are improperly put together the validity of the research may be called into question.
5). Misunderstanding of the culture, context, or people. Margaret Mead, a famous anthropologist only recently was shown to have misunderstood the Samoan culture in the interpretation of her ``nature or nurture’’ books and papers. She failed to understand that the Samoan girls gave her the answers that would please her, not the truth. She thought she understood the people, but formed a large body of anthropological science based largely on a false premise. This was only discovered after many books had been printed and courses taught on her faulty conclusions. (National Geographic TV Special 1990)
6). Skepticism about research. After you present your findings to the people they may discount its worth. Overcoming cynicism to research is often difficult for people who are hesitant to put much faith in the scientific method. They feel that somehow God, fate, or common sense will reveal what is best for them.
7). Anti-rationalists view of research. Some people believe that most of life is governed by unseen forces that do not behave rationally. Therefore, these folks will tend to belittle a rational approach since life is too complex to be understood on simple rational terms.
8). ``Hope for the best’’ club. Eternal optimists somehow believe that good will triumph over evil so it is left to God to work out His plans. They fail to realize how James Engel and other professors of research techniques have shown conclusively that God uses research effectively in evangelism and the building of His kingdom. Research is an asset to God’s plan not just a project for someone to get a thesis written.
9). One research plan fits all situations. Some people mistakenly believe that they can use any good research method and it will work in their setting. People, contexts, and problems are unique which require special research approaches.
10). Leaving all the responsibility to the Holy Spirit. Some people misinterpret verses like Prov. 3:5,6 thinking that if we pray, God’s Spirit will do all the work. This is a poor excuse for not using the faculties that God has provided for us. There is a difference between faith and presumption. Presumption is overbearing or undue confidence not based on solid inquiry.
11). Faulty assumptions. Some people feel that they know all they need to know in order to make an intelligent decision. They abhor the idea of ``wasting time’’ on needless research just to please the intellectuals. It is wrong to assume that we know everything. The scriptures tell us, ``If anyone thinks he stands let him take heed lest he falls.’’
12). Viewing research as end not as a means. Some people love research so much that they could conduct it as a profession. When people use research as a end they may be using it as a delay tactic to defer a necessary decision. Furthermore, too much research has a way of demoralizing people who want to see progress.
13). Impetuous research. Hasty actions, speech, or decisions rarely produce good results. When people act on the basis of what is popular, emotionally attractive, or exciting on the surface they may set themselves up for failure in the long term. Patient inquiry conducted with wise research methodology will avert the need to reverse gears. It often takes twice as long to fix something as to do it right the first time.
14). Family, Friends, or Staff Concerns. Sometimes people are pressured by those who are close to them to produce change. Extreme subjectivity begins to distort a person’s ability to make the best decisions. In order to keep peace in the family, the research may be done in an ad hoc way that is cover-up for pleasing those who we love. This opens the door to blackmail, nepotism, and internal lobbying groups.
15). Trying to confirm your pre-suppositions. Some people look for data only to confirm what they already believe to be true. They are simply trying to prove their position to others. Keeping an open mind is key to successful research, thesis writing, and discovery.
16). Failure to identify the bias in the respondents. It is easy to take at face value the information given by those you are interviewing. However, realize that they may have hidden motives for telling you things about their area. Perhaps, they are testing you to see how gullible you are. Even worse, the respondents may be trying to manipulate you to give them something free without any conditions. If the researcher fails to make allowances for built in informant bias he may be a pawn in the hands of his respondents.
17). Failure to report correctly or to interpret data correctly. Even though some people conduct interviews correctly they may fail to organize, interpret, or analyze the data correctly. This requires special training to know how to use statistics, interpretative techniques, and analytical abilities to correctly process the data.
18). Failure to identify the role of the researcher. For example, a missionary will get far different results than an anthropologist. Each researcher must evaluate his role, identity, & status in his own eyes as well as in those he is interviewing. When we conducted urban church planting research in Yola- Jimeta in Nigeria we saw that elderly Pastors got the most reliable information. White missionaries got the least valid information because of the suspicion factor.
19). Failure to take contextual factors into consideration. It is easy to judge the early missionaries for their attempts to change the culture of the Africans. Failure to understand the culture could be confused with a zeal to see the gospel accepted on the part of the early pioneer missionaries. The early missionaries faced untold hardships with disease, language, culture, family separations, poor communications, Satanic oppression etc. Many of the modern missionaries are incorrect in harshly criticizing their predecessors. Be sure you appreciate all the historical, cultural, and contextual factors in your research.
20). Distinguish between primary, secondary, and tertiary sources. Primary sources are people who were actual witnesses to the birth of the church. Secondary sources were sons and daughters. While tertiary sources may be written reports about what the sons and daughters said about the birth of the early church in Africa. Information tends to get refined through the levels of sources.
V. How to Minimize the Cultural Obstacles to Research
Research tries to discover how people communicate with their cultural understandings. When Don Richardson paddled his canoe up the river to the Sawi tribe he handed his baby to a man in village while landing. Later he learned that this paved the way for his acceptance. Symbolically he was telling everyone that he trusted the Sawi people to take care of his child. In their culture this was a deep expression of trust for another person.
1). First, learn how people act toward things on the basis of what is meaningful to them. Meaning is individually, culturally, and contextually specific. Meaning is not stagnant it changes. To a woman a smile may mean an invitation to a deeper relationship, but to a man a smile may just be a sign of approval of a job well done. Discover the way people interpret meaning. Meaning is often seen in what and how people reward others.
2). Discover the symbols, gestures, and non- verbal meanings of the people. This can be seen by way people take their shoes off to greet the chief, who is sitting closest to the chief, where is the chief’s house in relation to the other’s homes.
3). Pretest prudently. When we first tried to introduce evangelistic films to Nigeria we only found a few like the Burning Hell, The Grim Reaper, and the Peace Child that were understood by the people. Now we understand a little bit about the way that Africans interpret films in their culture. In similar ways, pre- testing a sample area will pave the way for wider research through successful questionnaires, interview formats, and data analysis.
3). Gather a wide array of information from a wide selection of informants. Do not just restrict your interviews to a few of your favorite male friends. Interview people of different backgrounds, class, educational levels, social groups, economic groups, women, men, youth, elderly etc.
4). Evaluate your effectiveness. After writing seven textbooks for theological schools in Nigeria I have learned that the points must be illustrated with cartoons to be understood correctly and appealingly. In my last book called How to Successfully Study, Preach, and Communicate the Scriptures, I included 157 cartoons, drawn and conceived by a Nigerian artist, throughout the text to help illustrate in Nigeria cartoon form the principles of the textbook. The books sold out in three weeks. I learned the hard way that books sell better when they are illustrated with real people telling stories about the concepts. It emphasizes Piaget’s truths that concrete learners need abstract theories taught in experiential forms.
5). Develop cultural relevancy with local intercessors. Use mediators who are familiar with the local dialect, norms, manners, and channels for credible communication. The Hausa proverb says, ``If you want to conquer a town use a son of the town.’’ This implies that you will need an insider who will help navigate through the difficulties of customs, culture, and problems that will arise.
6). Engage in conversations with the leaders first. Try to gain the confidence, understanding, & cooperation with the leaders before you engage in research. By covering your bases you will prevent many possible troubles through the leadership. If you encounter difficulties from the leaders it may be wise to pull back and try again at another time.
7). Use the participant observational method of research. When people lived with the Yananoma Indians in Venezuela they were only then able to understand their culture. The casual observers classified them as the most violent people on earth. Only after someone had lived with them for several years, learning their language, did anthropologists discover that men practiced violence in order to build a larger family. It was a way of self-preservation. They would not maltreat neighboring tribes, but would sanction male rivalries in order to build up the strongest males for leadership roles.
8). Research the personality and attitudes of the key leaders. The hidden reasons for certain decisions may be based more on the personality and the attitudes of the leaders that any other single factor. See if the leaders are drivers, expressives, amiables, analyticals or any combination of the above. People operate on the basis of that which makes sense to them. We must conduct our research on a individual psychological level as well as spiritual, social, educational, cultural, economic, professional, & experiential dimensions.
9). Find out if any other research has been conducted and what were the results. It is preferable to build upon others research than to try to ``re-invent the wheel’’. Do not be the kind of researcher who insists that he must start with a ``clean blackboard’’. This is unrealistic and could prove harmful in denying the reality of others’ perspectives. The advantages of building on others knowledge is that you can prevent having to repeat others’ mistakes. You have the advantage of hindsight which is always 20/20 vision.
VI. Types of Research
1. Ethnographic research -
Research that focuses in on a people group’s characteristics. Try to find out the people’s history, their culture, their language, their world views, their purposes, their religion, their family life, and their attitudes toward Christ, the church, and the gospel. This will help you determine the best people, methods, and techniques with which to approach them with evangelism, church planting, leadership, and church growth.
2. Anthropological Research -
Research that focuses on the study of people and their culture. Purpose to know how best to contextualize the message of the scriptures into the norms of the people. Seek to understand the reasons why people think, believe, and act the way they do.
3. Psychological Research -
Research that focuses on the attitudes, mindsets, morale, perceptions, motivations, and the way people’s minds work. Here you are purposing to understand the psychological barriers and catalysts that must be dealt with in communicating the scriptures across cultures.
4. Theological or Religious Research-
Research that seeks to understand the religious system of the people. Man has always been incurably religious. When you understand who, why, and how people research, you understand a great deal about how to approach them with the truth of the Bible. Jesus gave us a great example when he told the woman at the well in John 4:24, ``It is does not matter where you worship but WHO and WHY you worship. Those who worship God must worship Him in Spirit and in truth.’’
5. Demographic Research -
Research that seeks to understand the geography, the location, the occupations, the concentrations, and the distances between people groups. You are also interested in studying the statistics of births, deaths, movements, disease, growth, and conditions of life in a community. This will help you to understand the classes, statuses, and receptivity levels of the people you are trying to communicate to.
6. Church Growth Research -
Research that seeks to understand how the churches are growing qualitatively (Worship, love, fellowship, spiritual maturity, understanding of the Bible, witnessing, prayer, giving, service etc) and quantitatively (Members, converts, transferrals, expansion, extension, bridging, missions, church planting, & cross- cultural missionary growth). Interviews should focus on a balance of by types of criteria.
7. Historical Research -
Research that seeks to gather information about the causes, people, and conditions that led to establishing of the first church in an area. Concentrate on identifying cause-effect relationships in assessing the best means of seeing the early church develop. Look for patterns, trends, and general designs for how the present and future church should plan for growth through historical research. Spot previous problem areas that should be avoided in efforts to expand the church.
8. Archival or Library Research -
Research that explores documents collected to retain the primary and secondary sources of information. By researching a subject topically you may focus on a particular limited area to research. By building upon other research materials you are able to discover fresh insights, interpretations, and synthesize the main principles from written information. This is valuable when you want to understand the best ways to do urban church planting or any areas you do not have experience in.
9. Educational Research -
Research that seeks to understand the attitudes, achievements, effectiveness, or facts about some aspect of learning. When you are researching the contributions made by theological schools to leadership you may want to begin by looking at the curricula used. Here you might begin by setting up criteria for assessing the degree of positive or negative contributions of various curricula in different theological schools and compare your results. You can collect your data from interviews, records, archives, observations, statistical analysis, correspondence, or field surveys.
10. Biographical Research -
Research that seeks to focus on the life of a person. Pinpoint the contributions, achievements, background, personality, contexts, occupation, character, family life, reputation, relationships, and purposes of the individual. By concentrating on one person you can see how he contributed positively or negatively to the way the scriptures were communicated across cultures.
11. Socio-economic Research -
Research the ways people organize, relate, structure, classify, work, spend, buy, trade, save, rank, and communicate in communities. Cross-cultural research is most complex in these dimensions because they are so all encompassing. You may seek the aid of university professors in the sociology or economic departments for this type of research. Many churches grow because of sociological or economic factors as much as spiritual factors. The Tiv church in Nigeria has grown largely through Tiv communities that find a refuge of language, customs, culture, and socio-economic moorings in a variety of communities. ``Birds of a like feather tend to flock together’’, one research said. Concepts of homogeneity (Likeness) and heterogeneity (Diversity) are helpful sociological concepts in determining catalytic factors for church growth.
12. General Surveys -
Research that seeks to employ a combination of the above research methods. Through a synergistic effort to bring the best of the previous methods together you can conduct investigative research on a preliminary scale. You will notice that much of the data collected in the media, (Newspapers, radio, and television) are collected in this manner. It normally is not considered scientifically validatable, but you can acquire lots of information quickly.
VII. How to Use Your Research
1. Share the results with some of the local church leaders. Ask their opinions for the usefulness of the materials for their church’s growth.
2. Conduct seminars on your research results. This will help alert people to the needs of unreached people’s groups.
3. Communicate the results to key mission and church leaders. This will help them develop plans for theological education institutions, mission training schools, budgets, and personnel deployment.
4. Write newsletters to key people informing them of the results for prayer, support, and input reasons. You may be surprised at how a few seeds of research can sprout a great harvest of new converts, churches, and missionary work.
5. Teach courses in your church, schools, and communities on the results of your research. Many people will be surprised to discover how many unreached people groups there are within their vicinities.
6. Visit other churches, denominations, or areas to learn and share the results of your research. You may be amazed at how new models will stimulate new thinking in cross- cultural church planting, communications, and cooperations.
7. Share your research results through correspondence to key mission leaders. They are always looking for new data for their established newsletters, journals, and teaching.
8. Offer your results to missionaries on the field to encourage them with the new opportunities revealed by your findings. This will stimulate new thinking, attitudes, and hope for some people who may be ready to quit the ministry.
9. Share your results with churches for the purposes of prayer. Record your findings on paper that can be distributed as prayer requests. Be sure that you keep important information general or confidential so that no one twists, pollutes, or misuses the information harmfully.
10. Keep good files, records, and access to your information for further reference in the days to come. The problem with most research is that it is quickly forgotten, lost, or never used adequately.
11. Get your church involved with small scale research projects around their area. This will do more for linking research with action than anything. Let them begin by surveying a new area for the possibility of starting a new daughter church using a few see families from the church who live in that area.
1. Conn, Harvie M. Urban Church Research, Method & Models, Westminster Seminary Press, 85
2. Ahmed, Patience Mission Research, Seminar paper at A.D. 2000 Ilorin, 89 Calvary Ministries, Box 6001, Jos
